Bio-social surveys

We know that if we ask people for their measurements or about how much physical activity they do, we don't get accurate answers.

To ensure the accuracy of our data, our nurses and interviewers are able to take a range of bio-social measures. These range from simple measures like height and weight to measurements that require medical training, such as fitness tests or blood samples.

We're the only research agency in Britain to have a team of nurse interviewers and we're experienced in the development of medical protocols, training, quality control and liaison with labs.

Increasingly we're looking at how interviewers can take simpler bio-measures, as this offers a cost-effective way of enhancing the scope of a survey. For example, some of our interviewers have been trained to measure blood pressure, collect saliva samples and even take finger-prick blood tests.

We're also able to give feedback to those who've taken part in our surveys, for instance, we've alerted people to conditions such as high blood pressure.